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The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh and the priests of the diocese are will make a joint statement on Sunday in response to the findings of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.
The statement was being distributed to priests in the diocese today after a consultation between Dr Walsh and the priests on the statement’s content.
A spokeswoman for Dr Walsh said he would not be commenting on the report until after the statement has been read out at all masses on Sunday.
In the November issue of
The Furrow, Dr Walsh warned against calls to prosecute perpetrators of abuse.
“Apart from cases of extreme abuse I do not see that there will be any healing in attempting to drag large numbers of elderly religious or lay people into courts at this hour of their lives," he said.
He asked: “If we put people on trial for severe physical punishment administered 40/50 years ago where do we draw the line? Do we confine it to religious? Or do we widen it to take in parents, teachers or anyone else who might have taken on the task of disciplining children.
“I stood in a classroom myself for 25 years and I have no desire to be called to account for every single action of mine over that time.”
